Introduction
Milton Kaiman (March 5, 1921 - February 24, 1977), better known as Milt Kamen, was an American stand-up comic and actor with numerous television credits. As a stand-up comic, Kamen was a favorite of Mel Brooks, Groucho Marx and Woody Allen. According to writer Kliph Nesteroff, Kamen worked as a stand-in for Sid Caesar on Caesar's Hour, inventing bits of business that Caesar claimed for his own.
Life and career
Born in Hurleyville, New York, Kamen began his comedy career as a regular on Caesar's Hour in 1954. He frequently performed his comedy routines on shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Perry Como, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, and Johnny Carson and made guest appearances on What's My Line?, The Match Game and The Hollywood Palace. While performing at a resort in the Catskills, Kamen discovered Woody Allen.
As an actor, Kamen appeared in Route 66, Naked City, Ben Casey, McMillan & Wife, Love, American Style, The Partridge Family, Mannix, The Streets of San Francisco, and Quincy M.E., among others. His feature film credits include Me, Natalie, The Out-of-Towners, Mother, Jugs & Speed and W.C. Fields and Me.
Kamen's sole Broadway theatre credit was the 1964 Paddy Chayefsky play The Passion of Josef D., in which he played opposite Luther Adler and Peter Falk. It closed after one preview and 16 performances.
Before beginning his comedy career, Kamen was a successful French Horn player and occupied a French horn chair at the Metropolitan Opera.
At age 55, Kamen died of a heart attack in Beverly Hills.